Angel of Silver
by Sir Edward
Summary: FF7 The Next Generation.  These are the children of Avalanche, who will go on a journey like their parents, to defeat the shadow that has fallen over Gaia once again.  Enjoy, and R&R.
1. Chapter 1

The Angel of Silver

Prologue I

(Ten years before the beginning of the story)

After 25 years of peace, the people of Avalanche had done many mundane and normal things, like got married, had kids, got jobs, and just generally had lives. Cloud and Tifa had finally gotten married. After six years of 'dating', they now have a single child, a girl, if that matters, who had long dark hair, a great smile, and a pointed face, like her mother, and piercing blue-green eyes, a quite manner, and a strong build like her father. Her name is Aria. Cloud and Tifa co-own the now famous "Seventh Heaven" bar, and Cloud still does deliveries, but he's cut back a bit on that. They have 'settled down' as Tifa calls it, but Cloud feels that life is just as hectic, or worse than when he was younger, childless, and searching for Sephiroth in Northern Crater. Both are happy though, and that's all that matters to them.

Now, Cid on the other hand, was taking care of two kids, about the same age as Aria, with Sharra, while still trying to be a pilot, and it wasn't working out so well. The oldest is Jasmine, a semi-grumpy girl, with a shock of bleach blond hair that refuses to stay down; she thanks her father for that. She could swear like a sailor by the age of six, and she could put Cid to shame by seven. She was in love with flying, and had taken to wearing Cid's old flying goggles on her head, making Cid smile. "That's my girl! You learn to love flying, just don't start smoking... It's a bad habit." He'd say, whenever he saw her wearing them. Cid's son Alex had taken after his mother, who was a little less of a swearer, and a little bit calmer, and had decided on becoming an engineer. He also has blonde hair, but it's much tidier than his sister's, and more 'dirty' blonde than Cid's. He started tampering with Cid's tools when he was just a wee boy, at the tender young age of four. He quickly mastered the basics with tools, and by the time he hit eight, he had built a small-scale model of the Highwind (with a little of Cid's help, of coarse.). The family, though ridiculous to the outside world, was perfectly content to stay the way they where.

Two other members of Avalanche have also made house together, though they haven't made it formal, and probably never will. Vincent and Yuffie have become and 'item' as Yuffie says, and always with a grin on her face. They decided to not have kids, but in the end, Vincent of all people, was the one to break that decision. After three years of living with Yuffie, Vincent happened by a young boy, who was sleeping in a garbage bin in Midgar. Vincent had taken the boy to his hotel room, and got some food for him. Yuffie took a liking to the boy almost immediately, sensing the kindred thieving spirit she was always looking for. They found out that the boy's name was Jordan, and that his parent's where murdered by a gang that was trying to extort money from his father's shop. He said he was eleven, and that he'd been on his own for almost a year now. That's when Yuffie decided that they'd keep the boy, and help him find his family (you see, Yuffie still hasn't quite outgrown the fanciful nature that she had carried for twenty years or so.). So, Jordan has lived with them for a while now, and beome a part of their 'family'. Jordan has grown into a professional pickpocket, not that Yuffie would admit to giving him lessons. He was tall for his age, with tanned skin, and sandy brown hair. His eyes where an odd hue of blue, very dark, almost black in color. They live in Vincent's 'spruced up haunted house' in Nibelhiem, and are happy as well.

Some members weren't doing as well as others. Barret was having a lot of trouble. He stayed in Midgar, and took care of Denzel and Marlene, both of whom had gone to college, with a little help from Tifa and Cloud. But now Barret had fallen into an age-old habit, and had started to drink a little too much. He was trying to 'get over' Myrna, but he wasn't being too successful. He had several bad relationships with women over the past few years, and has gotten a little depressed. He moved in with Cloud and Tifa after Denzel and Marlene had left, and he was trying to put his life back together again. He managed to kick his drinking problem, but his depression has continued to get worse.

Another member that was not doing so well was Nanaki, who upon returning to Cosmo Canyon, heard of Buganhagan's death. Buganhagan was like a father to Nanaki, and his death was a real blow to him. Though in a will, Buganhagan left behind the Huge materia to him, and also the spacious cave dwelling as a home, Red was devastated. He mourned the loss of such a wise and venerable friend, and has begun to get some grey hairs over the matter. Though he is battling gallantly with his grief, he isn't quite the same as he was before. He had never really experienced death of a close friend, except for his father.

Cait Sith, the moggle-cat puppet was taken back to Shin-Ra, and dismantled. His robotic mind was erased, and cleared of all memories of Avalanche, and then was discarded as a bit of outdated trash, only to be picked up by none other than Alex, Cid's son, about six years later. The 'brain' was then taken to Cid's house in Costa del Sol, and there was turned into another robot, this time a small three-foot tall humanoid, with the alias name 'Blot-head'. Oddly enough, some of the 'personality' of the mind had been left on the chip, and so Bolt-head had a Scottish accent, and a fondness for gambling. Cid always wondered about Bolt-head, for that accent he had, sounded very familiar to him, even after that long. Bolt-head now goes with Alex everywhere he goes, and undoubtedly loses most of Alex's money at various casinos around Costa del Sol.

_This was a short summary of the various and sundry things that the group has done in the time before the actual events in the story. Further discussion of past life will be placed throughout the story, to fill in a little of the gaps that I might have left out. The rest is up to you, so if you want Cloud and Tifa to go to Nova Scotia and have a dance off with a group of lawn gnomes, then they have. If not that, then anything you'd like. If Cid and Alex have flown Puff the Magic Dragon, and had tea with the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland... You should go see a psychologist, or at least stop doing Ex... lol... It's not good for you! Anyways... Enjoy the story; it won't be as boring as this first chapter._


	2. Chapter 2

Prologue II

(Diary of Scientist, 22 years before story.)

_August 19, fifteen miles northeast of Northern Crater, time: 23:45._

_Today was supposed to be an uneventful day. The expedition was heading for a large glacial mass to the northeast of Northern Crater, to explore the Mako stream that ran freely from the crater to the south. It was an odd discovery that had made Shin-Ra very excited, but with Avalanche shoving bombs down their throats, they never had the money to make use of the plentiful resource. Now with all the reforms in the company, they destroyed the last of the Mako reactors, and have made a clumsy job of replacing Mako with other more 'renewable' resources. Another thing that has opened funding for the Mako stream was the ending of project "Jenova", which had been draining the company funds for years. So here we are up in this blisteringly frigid wasteland, hoping to strike gold by finding a large underground Mako lake. _

_The day started off normal, with the scuttle to pack up the tents and harnessing of the sled dogs, all the usual humdrum of artic life. After bundling up to ward off the damn cold (it was -55˚F for Gaia's sake!), we headed off at a pretty good clip, heading for the mass, only to come across something that made the other guys become excited. We found a man frozen in the perpetual hell, near the banks of the Mako stream. He was perfectly preserved, his pale skin, silver hair, and cold, penetrating green eyes, all as they were in life, except for a bunch of large gashes that covered his exposed torso. If he had been thawed, he might even have looked asleep, but it was clear that the man had been dead for quite some time now. We quickly pulled the man out of the ice, and packed his body carefully in a container that we where to use for any specimens that we might find when we took the submersible into the Mako stream. We then radioed the boss of our awesome discovery, and to our great shock, he shouted at us, and told us to bring the body back to the lab in Junon immediately, and that failure to do so would cost us more than just our jobs. So, with dread in our hearts, the team broke trail, and headed for the small town that had our helicopter parked on a makeshift landing strip. The rest of the day was spent travling, and wondering what had made the boss so unimaginably angry about the frozen man, that he would threaten our lives if he was not brought back within 72 hours. It's getting late. I shall write again tomorrow._

_August 20, 32 miles from the small unnamed village, time: 21:39._

_Today, we boarded our copter, and headed towards Junon in low spirits, because we had received news of a large storm that would be coming through the area that day. We had to land for a solid eight hours, while a giant maelstrom of a storm passed over us, dumping 2 inches of sleet, and about four feet of snow on us, and gumming up the copter's propeller. We told the boss of our great misfortune, and he screamed at us that we needed to get to Junon by tomorrow night, and that he didn't care if we had to swim across the ocean to get back on time. After another two hours to fix the helicopter, we started off again at full speed, hoping that the two reserve fuel tanks would be enough to sustain this type of speed until we reached Junon. The pilot says that she will try to fly through the night to make up for lost time. I'm skeptical of our 24-hour arrival deadline, and am starting to feel that we might have made a mistake when we took the man from the Mako stream. _

_It's with a heavy heart that I write this, I fear for my life. I am not sure that I could just be imagining it, but the man that sits in the freezer box has suddenly become more familiar. I think I may have heard of a man by his description, and I think it was connected to something very important. That's why the boss wants his body returned to the lab. Though it was many years ago, and I was just a green scientist at that point, and they wouldn't have trusted me with that kind of important information. I wonder what atrocity this man was part of... What would make this man more important than the Mako stream? Surely it would be more than just a simple project, or a failed experiment... I must see if I can get further information on this man, when we return to the lab. _

_August 21, somewhere over the ocean, time: 22:14._

_We spent the day in the cramped cabin of the small helicopter, worrying for our lives, as we sped across the ocean, heading for Junon. We had no clue as to what the lab wanted with a dead, frozen body, but we knew it was important. The pilot said we would get there at sunrise the next day, and we don't think the boss will be happy. Anyways, I've noticed that Dr. Grant was acting a little strangely as of late. She seems to be keeping to herself, and goes to constantly check on the temperature of the body, to make sure it does not rot. I don't know why, but I get the suspicion that she's hiding something, or knows something about the man... I shall ask her about it when I get the chance to tonight. The other thing that is troublesome, was the way the boss told us to get the man here... "I don't care if we you have to swim across the ocean..." It seems peculiar to me, but I don't know that I would hazard a guess as to why_

_August 23, 20 miles from Junon, time: 5:45_

_The lights went out in the helicopter last night, so I did not get a chance to finish my write up for yesterday. I talked to Dr. Grant, and she evaded all my questions, and did not give me more than a few noncommittal nods... She must know something, and it is beginning to make me worry. Well, I don't know, but we will be landing very soon, and I am hoping we don't see any Shin-Ra guards at the landing... Landing promising has been granted a little early, but that means we get there sooner. I must attend to the body, with Dr. Grant's help, so I shall try to get further information from her as we check all the devices meant to keep the body from decaying. I must go now; we have little time before we land..._

_August 30, Junon Laboratory. Time: 11:22_

_The body has been analyzed, and is indeed the lost Jenova experiment. I now stand before the 'Great' General Sephiroth. It is something of a wonder to gaze at such a figure of the past. He was as much a great general as he was an insane killer... To think that even now, so long after his unfortunate defeat, that his body has been preserved for so long. And to think that the boss has a new project for us... He calls it 'Project Resurrection". It involves using the old experiment, and using its genes to create the perfect killer. Analysis of Sephiroth's sperm, surprisingly have come back with a positive, that it is still active... To think that his genes would live long after his death is impressive. We must now find a 'mother' for the child, and use her as a surrogate womb. Then when the baby is born, we will raise it to be a true killing machine, and Shin-Ra will become the power it was before. Tomorrow, we find the surrogate, and inject her with the genes. Then we shall have to either dispose of her, or find something else to do with her... I trust the boss will have it all planned out by midnight tonight. So... Until tomorrow..._

August 31, Junon Laboratory. Time: 16:50.

_We have found our surrogate, a young woman... Experiment 26892A. Dark brown hair, grey eyes, 1.68m tall. Name: Kelly Mason, ID#: 233-5433-02, hometown: Midgar, Age: 24. Intelligent, talented (plays violin, piano, and flute very well. Fluent in French, English, and Latin. Plays tennis and soccer.)... All in all, a perfect fit for our experiment. We expect good results with her, for she's healthy, and very fertile. Success rate projected to be 78.98. All is set up, and she has been sedated and injected, now all we do is wait... 9 months, and our creation will be ready. I expect we will be happy with our outcome._

_  
(Data missing form data bank September 1- May 27)_

May 28, Junon Laboratory, Time: 9:24.

_It has been nine months, and the surrogate is in our care again, big bellied, and ready to birth. The ultrasounds have found that the baby is very healthy, and to our great disappointment... a female. We shall have to make do, for all the available sperm has been used up. So we hope that with the survival rate of the child being 99.51 that we will have what we need. We...the experiment...planed. It is with much excitement that...the new chi...name is Sif. XCORRUPTED INFORMATIONX..._

_  
(Data salvage in process...100 complete)_

_  
(Data recovered... Corrupt...)_

_  
December 16,..._

_...XCORRUPT INFORMATIONX...  
... She is healthy...strong. Now 7 months old. Developing at extraordinary speed. ...XCORRUPT INFORMATIONX...  
AASDsadaeEASsadae asdfaeDAEsdsaeaW#23efasddarea aw23WDa3wfda4tgerae4 adsfaww3SASdafdvare43fda strange powers asdfawv safwedvfa rreg45era 4q4 aga43qg adsar23dwcas ag4 asw43 2rg asfas434 daf hkwj9q398adsi need to curb her power. asdawaWEFDSasa ases sajioeivnan dneiaodi idna seejg saawe vnnalfiew vwadva. This is the greatest experiment man has ever completed.  
XCORRUPT INFORMATIONX_

_  
(Data files to corrupt to upload... File back up system erased... Computer shutdown in 30 seconds...)_

_  
(Computer shut down.)_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 1: The Angel of Silver

"Listen old man... You have no control over me. I'm 22 years old, and you've already said that you don't have any power over me! Do you think those guards you sent after me ended up in the bog by themselves? Face it... You're powerless over me." A silver haired young woman demanded, pointing a slender finger at the plump man behind the desk.

"Sif... Listen to me... You are to undergo training tomorrow... I don't care about what your 'friends' are doing! That's final young lady!" Bellowed the leader of Shin-Ra, standing up from the desk, trying to look impressive.

Sif just laughed, and turned on her heels, and marched out of the room.

"What're you going to do about it old man?" She snarled as she left the room, slamming the door behind her.

"That bitch! I'm so sick of her... She used to be a sweet little thing when she was younger! Now she's turned into some sort of domineering cretin!" The leader muttered.

"Well Sir... You did teach her to be like that... It's all part of the training she needs to undergo." His assistant said, trying to help the leader come to a conclusion.

"Akers! Enough of you!" The leader said, pounding a fist against his desk, sending the fifth cup of tea crashing to the floor.

Akers looked down at the broken cup, and then at the fuming leader, and decided it was best to leave. He wanted no part of this, and Sif had really become intolerable, killing three guards in two weeks like it was nothing.

"Sir... I'm going home now... My wife." Akers said, waving vaguely at the hospital that was on Shin-Ra grounds.

"Yes... Go see your wife..." The leader said, and he turned to look out the window, not caring that he had just destroyed a 1500 gil rug.

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"Alex! Get in here you little rascal!" Sharra called, watching as the young man came into the room.

"Yes mother?" He said, as he adjusted the goggles he was wearing.

A clinking noise was heard behind him, and Bolthead walked up.

"Good day t' yah ma'am!" He said, nodding his small round head in greeting.

"Oh... Hello Bolt... Now Alex... Why is this in here?" Sharra asked, showing him an oily knife that sat in the dishwasher.

"Oh... I um... Needed something to cut an oil line in the hovercraft I'm making... Father didn't have any good cutters, so I barrowed a knife... Sorry Mom." He said, looking down at his feet.

"I told you not to use kitchen wear like tools before haven't I?" She asked, arching one brow toward the ceiling.

"I know... I was going to wash it by hand, but Jasmine was in the sink." He said, trying to calm his mother before she could get to crazed.

"Is that an excuse to use KITCHEN wear as tools? Really! Your 18 and you follow directions like Cid! I should just disown the both of you!" She said, grinning at the shock on Alex's face.

"MOM! Alex 'borrowed' my flying goggles! I need them! Papa and I are going flying today! It's the last day before I head off to University!" Jasmine's voice carried down the hall, as the young woman came charging to the kitchen.

"Alex! You really are like your Father! He's just as bad at 'borrowing' things without asking! Just like that friend of his... Yuffie!" She growled, as Jasmine jumped on Alex, tackling him to the ground, and nearly knocking over Bolthead.

"'Ey! Watch where ye goin'!" He cried, as he staggered to keep his balance.

"GIMME MY GOGGLES NERD!" She cried, pulling them off his head, not caring that the strap slapped him across the back of the head.

Alex lay on the ground, holding his head.

"Don't hurt me! I just used them... It's not like I was burning them!" He said, looking up at his sister, who was brushing her short, blonde hair back into 'order'.

"Don't ever... EVER... use these without my... permission... EXPRESS PERMISSION!" Jasmine said, poking him in the forehead and walking away.

"You know... You could just call Cloud... He's got all those tools he used when he used to have Fenrir... You could ask to get some of them... Since he doesn't have Fenrir anymore." Sharra said, helping Alex to his feet.

"Thanks Mom! I'll go call him now!" Alex said, running to the phone.

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As Alex dialed the phone, he smiled, thinking of all the great tools Cloud might have, and what he could do with them, when someone answered the phone.

"OH! Hey Cloud!" Alex said excitedly, not even bothering to introduce himself.

"Um... It's Aria." Came a soft voice over the phone, that made him blush deep red.

"Oh... Uh... Um... mmmm... Hi Aria..." He said embarrassedly, trying to come up with word to actually say to her.

"You want Father right?" She asked.

"Uh... No... I mean... Yes! Yeah... Is he home?"

"No. He went to deliver a new teaser to Reno." Aria replied.

"Oh really? Uh... How're you?" He asked, completely petrified that he even thought to ask her that.

"I'm okay... Mom's been a little off lately. How're you Alex?" She asked.

"Uh... Me?"

"Yes... You. You're the only one that I'm talking to at the moment." Aria said with a laugh that made Alex want to melt into a puddle.

"Uh... Sorry!" He said, hanging the phone up and falling over.

"_I just actually had a conversation with Aria! With ARIA! What the hell am I thinking?_" He thought, trying to sort out his defused mind.

Bolthead walked up to Alex and laughed.

"Master seems to have a crush on the Strife girl..." He said, patting Alex on the shoulder.

"I AM NOT CRUSHED OUT ON ARIA!" He shouted in his defense, as if volume would cover up the blush on his face, and the excitement in his eyes.

"Ah... But Bolthead can see that Master cares much for the young Strife!" He said, bowing slightly.

"I... Stop saying that!" Alex said, grimacing at the robot's insight into humans.

"Saying what, Master?" The robot asked.

"Master! I'm your friend! Call me Alex!"

"Master Alex... It's built into my programming..." The robot said sadly, disappointed that it had angered its creator.

"I'll have to fix that!" Muttered Alex as he stood from the ground.

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Aria stared at the receiver, and gave a slight 'humph' and hung it up.

"_What's wrong with him...? He never can say more than a few words to me... Does he like me or something?_" She thought, looking around the room.

"_Well whatever the reason... It won't matter._"

She wondered into the living room where Denzel and Marlene where sitting, and grinned.

"So... I haven't seen you guys in a while!" She said with happiness at the Married couple.

"Yeah... It's been a while Aria. The last time I saw you... You could fit in my arms!" Denzel said, giving a belly laugh as Aria's changed to a pretty shade of pink.

"How's the baby coming along Marlene?" Aria asked.

"It's doing fine... It's a girl, and I think we're going to Myrna... In honor of my Mother." Marlene said, nodding to Denzel.

"Oh! That's so wonderful!" Aria said, smiling.

"I just hope Cloud gets back soon!" Denzel said, glancing out the window, anticipating the shock that would spread across Cloud's face when he saw them.

"This is going to be great!" He said, mischief twinkling in his eyes.

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Jordan sat out on the roof of the 'spoofed up haunted house' with Vincent, in total silence. He didn't talk much, taking after Vincent, and driving Yuffie mad.

They sat, looking out at the pale moon, 'father' and 'son', and witnessed the most beautiful thing, the comet show, when the sky was aglow with hundreds of streaking stars.

"_Silence is golden_." He thought, turning to face Vincent with a smile.

Despite Vincent's lack of paternal instincts, Vincent could read people well, and knew that Jordan's smile was a genuine smile.

"It's beautiful." Vincent said, his soft, deep, somber voice falling into the silence like a feather, always amazing Jordan in the quiet command in that voice.

"Yes... It is." Jordan replied, and then they both lapsed into silence again.

They spent another hour sitting out there, while Yuffie watched them from the window.

"_Those two have so much in common... I'm so glad that Vincent's found some else who enjoys silence as much as him_." She though, grinning at the pair of stoic men that she loved dearly.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 2: The Hatred Awakened

"Vikki! This dress... I need it!" Sif said, showing her friend a beautifully simple black dress that accented the young woman's silver hair.

"OMG!! That's gorgeous Sif! Absolutely stunning!" Vikki said, gawking at Sif as if she where a goddess.

"I know... It's outlines all my features!" Sif said, smiling at the dress in the mirror.

"Sure does babe... I'd tap that!" Vikki said, jokingly patting Sif on the butt.

"Come now... I may be perfect, but I know you like guys..." Sif said, laughing as her friend chuckled.

"Okay, you got me..." Vikki said, waving for Sif to take the dress off and put it in the cart.

After about three more hours of shopping, the two friends came out of the clothes store with more clothes than they could carry, but they managed somehow.

As they struggled to the car, Sif caught the black ensemble of a Shin-Ra stealth hunter, and she put her bags on the ground.

"I've got to take care of something, I'll put my stuff in the car, and you can leave..." Sif said, hatred glowing in her vivid green eyes.

"Okay?" Vikki said, having not noticed that they where being followed.

Once the stuff was loaded into the car, Sif shifted her weight, and dodged a knife that flashed out of nowhere.

"WHAT THE?!" Vikki cried, as she watched Sif dodge a second attack from the person dressed like a ninja.

"JUST LEAVE!" Sif cried, blocking a third attack.

Vikki didn't seem to need convincing, as she jumped into the car and pulled away, leaving Sif standing with the assassin.

"So... Has Poppy gotten tired of me? Sending an assassin to kill me?" She asked the ninja, as she drove in throwing a punch or two to ward off the other's attack.

The ninja grunted as a punch knocked the knife out of its hands.

The attacker flipped back, as the people in the parking lot watched with faces of awe.

Sif didn't manage to dodge the kick the assassin delivered, and she hit her head hard against the pavement, which knocked her out.

As she lay unconscious on the ground, the stealth hunter readied a second knife to finish the job it was assigned.

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Sif was inside a weird place in her mind, some backwater area that seemed to have more dust than an ancient ruin in it. She stood in the eerie light, and looked around.

"_What is this place?_" She thought, looking at the door that was in front of her.

She reached out a hand, and touched the door, feeling a buzzing feeling that made her withdraw her hand.

The door opened, and a glowing light blinded her. Then a glowing sword came from out of the room, impaling her body straight through the heart, causing her to fall to her knees.

Her eyes suddenly started glowing, and she started to smile.

"POWER!" She cried, as she pulled out of the dusty place in her mind and returned to reality.

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The knife descended towards her throat, intending to cut it cleanly and end the fight for good, but the knife was block by a crushing kick that broke the ninja's hand.

Sif leaped to her feet, turning towards the assassin, and lifted her hand so that it was level with her shoulder.

"Do you wish to die?" She said, her eyes blazing with the odd light from the room in her mind.

The ninja made a move, but before it could attack, a foot sent it crashing to the tarmac.

Then another blow smashed its head against the ground, breaking its nose.

"Insolent puppet of the government... You have no power over me..." She said, kicking the ninja in the ribs, breaking a few with her pointy black boot.

After that, she ran off, heading toward the Shin-Ra building, her mind set on just one thing... Death.

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Aria sat in her room, staring out at the starry sky, looking out at the majestic display of little spots in the sky.

She sighed, and leaned back on her bed, and closed her eyes.

"It's late Grey." She whispered, as she pet the grey cat that lay in the bed next to her.

The cat purred gently as Aria stoked it behind its ears.

It closed its eyes, and gave a satisfied yawn, and curled up on Aria's chest, still purring to itself.

Just as Aria was about to fall asleep, she felt a jolt through her body like that of lightning.

"_POWER!_" A voice screamed in her head, startling her.

She sat up rapidly, throwing Grey off of her, and with a spluttering hiss Grey fled the room like a house afire.

Aria was breathing quickly, her eyes wide with fear.

"What... was... that?" She panted, trying to figure out what could have caused her to jump like that.

After a bit she settled down, and fell asleep again. After a good hour, Grey came back in and snuggled against her and fell asleep as well.

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Far away from the bustle of everything, out in the distant North, in a deep crater, a voice echoed.

"I LIVE! VENGENCE IS MINE!"

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Jordan sat alone outside, on the dark rooftops, studying the north sky, and he saw a strange flash that startled him. He slid from the roof and into the window, going to consult Vincent.

He knocked on Vincent's door and waited.

Vincent answered the door promptly and invited him in motioning for Jordan to sit on a chair.

"Did you see that light Jordan?" Vincent asked, looking at the young man.

"Yes... What was it?"

"I have a feeling that it's not good." Vincent replied, shutting the door behind Jordan.

"Yeah, me too, but what could it be?" Jordan asked, curious about what Vincent might know about the light he saw.

"I'm not sure... I've just got this bad gut feeling." Vincent said, looking out the window studying the sky hoping to find some answer.

"Should we tell Cloud and the others...?" Jordan asked.

"No... not yet."

They both turned to the sky, and watched to see if there might be another flash, waiting for some sign that they might need to tell the others to rally against some monster or other horror that might have been unleashed upon Gaia.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 3: The Group is Informed

The next morning, things where strange, VERY strange, and everyone was noticing it. For instants, the sky had changed from its normal blue color to a dull pink color, and didn't change throughout the day. That and monsters started to attack villages and cities. This hadn't happened in over thirteen years, and it frightened people. There where also sightings of a giant robot flying through the skies, and it was dubbed 'Neo Weapon'.

Vincent stared out the window, and shook his head.

"We need to call them together... We need to reform Avalanche... This isn't good." He said quietly, pulling out his slim new cell phone, one that Yuffie had gotten him for his birthday.

He scrolled through the names, and found Cloud's, and pushed the green 'call' button. The phone rang for a while, and then Tifa picked up.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hello... It's Vincent. Is Cloud home?"

"Uh... Yes, he is... You sound worried, is something wrong?"

"Yeah... I need to talk to him though."

"Okay... I'll go get him."

"Thanks."

Vincent stood as he heard Tifa out the phone down and call for Cloud. A few seconds later, Cloud answered the phone.

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed anything strange lately?" Vincent asked, hoping that Cloud noticed.

"Well... The sky's pink, and there's news of a giant robot flying around... Other than that, no."

"Well... Aren't those things strange to you?"

"They are, but what am I going to do about it?" Cloud replied.

"I think it might have something to do with Northern Crater."

"Sephiroth?" Cloud said, his voice icy.

"Possibly... I saw a strange light out of the North, and I feel like something bad is going to happen... There've been a rash of monster attacks on cities and towns as well." Vincent said.

"Something strange happened here too... Aria said she woke up to someone or something screaming 'power' in her head... She didn't know if it was just a dream or what, but it's strange that these things happened at the same time."

"I think Avalanche must come back together and find out what's going on... It'll be like old times." Vincent said, feeling a slight pang of sadness that his life might be uprooted yet again to save the world.

"I think you're right... I'll call the others... We'll meet at Aeris' church in Midgar."

"Why there?"

"I have some business to take care of." Cloud replied, and the phone went dead, leaving Vincent staring at the phone in disbelief.

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Cloud called Cid, hoping the man had his cell on.

"Sorry, out flying my ship... Altitude must be blocking my signal. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you when I can... BEEP!"

Cloud stared at the receiver, and then spoke his message.

"Cid... It's Cloud. Something's up. Meet the group at Aeris' church in three days. Call back a.s.a.p. so that I can tell you the whole story." Cloud hung the phone on the hook, and turned to go tell Tifa the news.

When he found her, she was braiding Aria's hair, and talking to her happily.

"Tif... I need to talk to you for a moment?" He asked, looking at her expectantly.

"I'll be out in a moment Cloud... Let me finish."

"Please be quick then... It's important."

Cloud left the room, and went to the living room and sat down. After a few minutes, Tifa came down stairs with a frown on her face.

"What's up?" She asked, noticing the shadowed look in Cloud's eyes.

"Vincent says that there's some strange stuff happening. Haven't you noticed the sky? It's pink; it's been like that all day. And there where several sightings of a giant robot flying through the skies..."

"Yeah so? What's that mean?"

"We don't know... But it might have to do with Sephiroth."

"Sephiroth?" Tifa said, her eyes wide and afraid.

"Yes... Vincent isn't sure that it is, but it might be. We're going to Aeris' church in Midgar tomorrow, to meet the others."

"Why?"

"Looks like Avalanche is getting together for a reunion and tour." Cloud replied, hoping that Tifa understood.

"You mean that we're going to have another 'adventure'? I wanted to settle down Cloud... I've had enough of saving the world!" She cried.

"I know... I have too... But we're the only one's who can stop him."

"What makes you say that?"

"No one else managed... And if he's come back, he'll be wiser than he was before."

"Oh! But...!"

"Please understand."

"Fine... But what do we do about Aria? We can't just leave her here if monsters are attacking the towns."

"True... We'll bring her with us."

"BRING HER! CLOUD STRIFE... ARE YOU SUGESSTING THAT WE PUT OUR DAUGHTER IN DANGER SO THAT WE CAN..."

"Please stop yelling."

Tifa looked furious, but she took a deep breath and continued.

"So that we can save the world? You want to put her in danger Cloud?"

"No, but leaving her here is just a bad as dragging her to Midgar with us... We'll be there to protect her, if we leave her here, she'll be alone." Cloud answered.

"Fine." Tifa said, turning to leave.

"Thank you Tifa."

"One last thing Cloud... Aren't we a little old to be fighting evil still...? I mean after all we're almost 50... That's a little old to be fighting."

"I'm 46 Tifa... I may be past my prime... But I still can fight with a sword." Cloud said, looking up at the giant Buster Sword that hung on the wall in the hallway.

"Cloud... You and I past our primes at 35! It's ten years past that! We should be knitting and sitting in rocking chairs practically!" Tifa said, feeling that she wasn't ready to just leave something that had been steady for the past 25 years of her life.

"We still need to go though" Cloud said.

"Fine... We'll go, but I don't want to start all over again... I'm tired and I just don't think we'll stand a chance."

"Okay... We'll leave tomorrow morning." Cloud said, nodding to her.

"Okay."

She left, feeling sad and miserable, but she didn't want Cloud to see that.

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Cloud called Barret next, and got an answer.

"Yo." Barret said, his voice calm and quiet.

"Hey... When are you coming back?"

"Don't know... Why? Barret asked.

"We're going to Aeris' church tomorrow... You need to be there."

"Why?"

"Because... Vincent said something's happening at the Northern Crater."

"So? I can't do anything about it... I'm a fuckin' old man Cloud... I'm 59 going on 60! What the hell do you want me to come for"

"We're having a 'reunion' of sorts... Just come."

"Listen... Respect your elders boy! I'm an old geezer and I'm tired of being bossed around by you young idgets!"

"I'm not a boy Barret... And I'm not ordering you to come... I think it'd be nice to see you again."

"I can't go saving the fuckin' world at the age of 60 Cloud! I'm too old for this shit."

"Fine... Don't come... You can stay and watch the bar for us... How about that?"

"Jesus Cloud! You want me to watch the bar for you? I can barely get around, and you want me to watch the bar?"

"Since when have you not been able to get around?"

"Since a couple days ago... fuckin' Arthritis is flaring up like a bitch... My joints er'all stiff."

"... Sorry." Cloud said, feeling bad that he had yelled at Barret.

"It's fine... Just don't worry about me."

"Fine... I hope your joint get better soon man." Cloud said, hanging the phone up with a 'click'.

He sighed and turned away, knowing that both Tifa and Barret where right, that Avalanche was really over, and it was time for a new group to step up to the plate and save Gaia from this new danger.

"What're we going to do?" He asked himself quietly as he left to go pack for their trip.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 4: The Day Before the Meeting

Cid called Cloud back at around 6:00pm, and was shocked to hear the news.

"You think this has to do with Sephiroth? I thought we kicked that fuck's ass? Well... I'd be in on it, but Sharra's kindda mad at me right now, and she don't want me flying... I'll try to convince her to let me go..." He had said.

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Vincent gathered up the last of the things he would be taking with him, and looked over at Yuffie.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, sensing the struggle the ninja was having.

"I... I don't want to leave... without Jordan" She said quietly.

"Why?"

"I don't think that leaving Jordan hear would be a good idea."

"He made his choice to stay... He's old enough to choose what he wants." Vincent said, wrapping a long arm around his 'wife'.

"Yeah, I know... But I think he should come... Something in my gut's telling me to bring him..." She said, looking up at Vincent with a pitiful look.

"Okay... I'll try to get him to come..."

Jordan interrupted Vincent.

"You don't need to ask me again... I'll go. I just thought that this was your business and that I had no real place in it." He said, nodding to Vincent.

"Well that's what I thought originally, but your mother cares too much about you..." Vincent said, grinning at the young man, something he picked up from the boy, who smiled a lot, even when he was sad. Jordan was always optimistic, just very quiet.

Vincent walked over to the boy, and looked him in the eye.

"You sure you want to go?"

"Yes... If mother wants me to go, then I'll go." He replied, much to the delight of the ninja.

They got ready to go, and got on their blue chocobos to ride to Midgar. Just then, Vincent's phone rang, and a happy voice spoke to him over the line.

"Hey Vince! It's Cid. Don't go anywhere; I'll pick you up in the air ship... My girl's going to be flying, so you can compare her skills to mine." Came the voice with a slight drawl to it.

"You will? Thanks Cid." Vincent said, waving Yuffie off the blue chocobo.

"We're going to be flying. Cid's picking us up." Vincent said, as he got a look of confusion from her.

"Oh! It'll be nice to see him again! Is he bringing his kids?"

"Yup... His daughter's going to be the one flying..." He replied.

"That's nice... We haven't seen those two for a couple years now..." Yuffie said, grinning.

After two hours of waiting, the large airship landed about 100 meters away, and they boarded to find Cid praising Jasmine with a look of utter joy.

"You did amazing my girl! Just outstanding! You parked her perfectly too... Good job!"

The girl blushed happily as her father lavished her with praise.

Cid turned to find that Vincent, Yuffie and Jordan where standing on the deck looking happy to see their old friend.

Yuffie ran over to Cid, and gave him a big hug.

"It's so nice to see you again old man!"

"And it's great to see you too!" He said, releasing her from the hug.

He shook Vincent's hand, and smiled.

"Here's the flying ace!" He said, presenting his daughter to them.

"Wow! Jasmine, it's so good to see you again!" Yuffie cried, hugging the young woman and grinning up at her.

"It's nice to see you too Yuffie! It's been a while hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has." Vincent agreed, as Jordan stepped up to greet them.

"Hey Jas. What's going on?" He asked, grinning in the same way that Yuffie did.

"Nothing much... Just showing up my father at flying." She said, smirking at Cid, who dropped the cigarette that he'd been holding.

"Hey now little Missy! I don't think you've gotten that good... although I wouldn't be shocked if you did do better than me in flying school. You're a bright one... Must'a got it from your mum." He said, ruffling her already disorganized hair.

"Okay dad... Let's just get her into the air, so that we aren't late to the church!" She said, grabbing his hand and dragging him toward the captain's room/ control room.

Vincent, Yuffie and Jordan went down below deck to find Alex tinkering with Bolthead.

"Hey Alex!" Yuffie said, cuffing the young man on his shoulder.

"Oh! Hey Yuffie!" He said looking up from the 'brain surgery' he was doing on Bolthead.

"What'cha doing?" She asked, poking a finger at Bolthead.

"I'm giving him a bit of an update, and trying to fix the fact that he calls me 'master' all the time. It's just a simple thing really. I've got the new chip right here." He said, indicating a small rectangular object that was sitting inside a small plastic box.

"Hey." Said Jordan, who came over and settled next to Alex looking at the opened robot.

"Hey Jordan. How're you?" Alex asked, as he turned his attention back to the robot.

"I'm doing well. You?"

"I'm okay." He said, grimacing as the robot started to emit the weather for Icicle area.

"And today's going to be a balmy 45 degrees Fahrenheit. There'll be a blizzard moving in from the west, and should get here by the end of..." Bolthead began, in a very thick Icelandic accent.

Alex pulled a wire, and reattached it to the proper place, silencing the weather report.

"So, I take it that you've taken after your mom, and taken up mechanics, specifically A(rtificial)I(ntelligence)?" Vincent asked.

"Well in a way yes... Bolthead actually had most of the AI in place, there where some damaged and corrupted things that I fixed or got rid of. I put together his body, but his mind was made by a corporation called Shin-Ra. His brain used to be one of the most powerful AI units around, back I'd say fifteen to twenty years ago. Now they have a proto type called ZIP 1. It's basically the closest thing to a human brain to date. It even has emotion centers, and other things that I wouldn't want to mess around with." Jordan said, as he tested another wire to a connection, and got a Gongaga singing group called the Hogo Motosko.

"What's with him and all the weird radio frequencies he's picking up?" Jordan asked.

"Well, I put in a radio receiver, so that if I needed him to tell me the weather, I could ask him... So I guess that's just what's floating around here." Alex replied, pulling the chip out of the small box, and implanting it in Bolthead's brain.

Things went like this for the rest of the trip, when they arrived at the ruins of Midgar.

"Tell me exactly why Cloud wanted to meet in a ruined church?" Cid asked, looking at Vincent for an answer.

"I don't know... He said he needed to do something." Vincent replied, looking out at the devastation that was Midgar.

"Oh... So we have to stay at this desolate place because he needs to do something?"

"Yeah, I guess." Yuffie answered.

"Well that just sucks doesn't it?" Cid said, taking out a cigarette, and lighting it with a match.

"Well... We have at least six hours before tomorrow comes, lets get some sleep." Cid continued, after several long drags on the cigarette.

The others agreed, and went back to the airship to sleep.


End file.
